Birds of Prey: Rebirth
by KatrinaHighKick
Summary: What could happen if Dick Grayson showed up in New Gotham? My take on what I think the Second Season (if they ever produce it) should be like. BabsDick. CHAPTER 7! Finally!
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own anything! The Birds and all other characters belong to DC Comics and/or WB. I'm doing this just for entertaining purposes, and to express my anger with the show's cancellation. BRING BACK THE BIRDS!  
  
Author's Note: Okaaayy. This is my first attempt on Birds of Prey fan fiction, and my second on fiction in general. So, please, be nice. Here, I'm writing what I would like the Second Season to be. I'll try to tie up some elements of the comics as well, like some characters that just get mentioned in the series (guess who!). That being said, on to the story.  
  
Birds of Prey: Rebirth By Azure Lightning  
  
Prologue:  
  
Three months have passed since the Birds had their final match against Harley Quinzel, a.k.a. Harley Quinn. The Joker apprentice was safely locked up in Arkham, her days of insane crime were over. The Clock Tower had been rebuilt. Everything was back to normal. Or perhaps not.  
  
The final battle had left its collateral effects among the Birds, positive and negative. More than ever, the girls felt a strong bond between them. They knew they could always trust one another, no matter what. Miss Dinah overcame her mother's loss and inherited Black Canary's identity. Her powers are becoming stronger by the day. Miss Helena learned to open up for other people. Letting Detective Reese in is quite difficult at times, but it surely is worth the strain.  
  
And Miss Barbara. surely enough she was the most affected by the vicious war. If loosing the ability to use her legs ten years ago wasn't enough, now she was pinning over the death of someone very dearly to her. Master Wade Brixton's corpse was found a couple hours after Quinzel's defeat, thrown mercilessly in a dumpster near the Tower. Miss Barbara mourned for him for weeks, but lately she seems to be coming in terms with it.  
  
And since the crime in New Gotham never stops, Oracle, Huntress and Black Canary continue to protect the city. The Birds of Prey.  
  
My name is Alfred Pennyworth, and this is their story. 


	2. Ordinary Night

Disclaimer: Once again, I don't own them! The characters and the JLA belong to DC Comics, and the TV series belong to WB. BRING BACK THE BIRDS!  
  
Author's note: Now the story begins! Let me explain a few things. In the comics, Oracle is the main source of information for all the super-hero community. Here, I'm assuming that she helps the other heroes as well. The JLA stands for Justice League of America, of which Oracle is a member.  
  
Birds of Prey: Rebirth By Azure Lightning  
  
Chapter 1: Ordinary Night  
  
"Canary! Huntress! There's a robbing at the Modern Art Museum on the go. Why don't you pay the thugs a visit?" Oracle informed her two operatives.  
  
"Got it." Huntress replied through her com link. She and Dinah nodded to each other and moved towards the edge of the building where they had been parked at. Huntress leapt towards the other building. Canary fired her jump line and dived in the air. They swiftly moved from one rooftop to another, the wind blowing on their faces. A few buildings later, they arrived at the museum.  
  
"Oracle, we're here." Canary informed as she surveyed the surroundings. Two masked men were leaving the building as the alarm started blaring off. "And I think we've found our date." She said with a smirk.  
  
"Good. The police should be arriving in 5 minutes. You'd better be quick."  
  
"No problem." Huntress replied. She turned towards Dinah. "Ready? Let's go." The duo leapt towards their preys, landing right in front and surprising them. "Hi, guys, wanna dance?" The robbers stopped on their tracks, eyed each other and ran the opposite way.  
  
"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" Dinah inquired. She did a couple of movements with her hands towards some garbage cans and the bad guys' path was blocked. "That's better." As she said so, Dinah and Helena rushed towards the thugs. They offered little resistance, and a after a couple roundhouse kicks, they were knocked down to the floor. As if on cue, the police sirens could be heard around the corner. When the cops arrived at the crime scene, the girls were already out of sight.  
  
****  
  
"Good job, Dinah." Helena Kyle addressed her friend. Through the last months, Dinah had become like a sister to her.  
  
"Hey, thanks! You weren't bad either." The girls started giggling as the elevator took them to the Oracle's Lair. When they reached the top, both were greeted by Barbara.  
  
"Nice team work, you two. Any trouble?" Barbara asked, although she knew that there was hardly any problem.  
  
"Nah. Nothing to worry." Dinah replied. "Though I think Helena would like to have stayed a little longer. You know, maybe Reese could have showed up." For that, Helena swatted the blonde's head. "HEY! What was that for? You know that's the truth!" The trio started laughing out loud.  
  
"I'd love to know what's the joke, but I guess I'd better just announce that dinner is ready." Alfred Pennyworth stated as he entered the room, eyeing the girls affectionately.  
  
"Hiya, Alfred." Helena greeted him.  
  
"Good evening, Miss Helena, Miss Dinah. How was the night? Any interesting events?"  
  
"Nope. It was a slow night. Two hold ups, one robbery. You know, the usual stuff." She replied casually. "So, I say we'd better have dinner, shall we?"  
  
"You three go ahead. I've got some research to send to Superman. It will take just a few minutes." Barbara told them.  
  
"Whatever you say, Miss Barbara." Alfred shrugged as they made their way to the dining room. "Just don't take too long."  
  
"I won't." She turned towards her monitors and opened a link to the JLA headquarters. "Good evening, Superman. I've got the research you requested here. Do you want me to send it now?"  
  
"Good evening, Oracle. Yes, please send it right away." Superman replied. Barbara tapped a few keys and the information was sent.  
  
"Done. Anything else?"  
  
"That's all thanks. So, hasn't Batman showed up yet? It's been ages since anyone has last seen him." Barbara sighed heavily.  
  
"No. When Batman wants to hide, neither the all-knowing Oracle can figure out where he is."  
  
"Yeah, I guess you're right. I've got to go now. Thanks for the research. Tell Huntress and Canary I said 'Hello'."  
  
"I will. Bye." Barbara closed the link and started wheeling away from her workstation, when an incoming message appeared on her screen. "I wonder who would that be." She opened an audio link and waited. What, or rather who, she heard made her gasp.  
  
"Babs! Long time no see!" Barbara widened her eyes.  
  
"Dick?" 


	3. Lunch with 'Big Bro'

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN THEM! All characters belong to DC Comics or WB. By the way, WB. BRING BACK THE BIRDS, FOR GOD'S SAKE!!!  
  
A/N: So here we are! As you may have found out by now, this is a Babs/Dick fanfic. And there's also some Helena/Reese. For those who don't know Dick Grayson yet, I've put a brief biography in this chapter. For those who know him, you may have noticed that I didn't mention Bludhaven here. I did it because for the development of my fanfic, I need him to stay in New York. At least for now. By the way, I LOVED the reviews. Keep'em coming! Enough blabbing, on to the story!  
  
Birds of Prey: Rebirth  
  
By Azure Lightning  
  
Chapter 2: Lunch with 'big bro'  
  
"Dick? Is it you?" Barbara stammered. She couldn't believe it. Richard Grayson, Bruce Wayne's adopted son, the first Robin and current Nightwing, was contacting her. According to her records, he was supposed to be in a far away planet on a mission with his fellow Titans.  
  
"Yup. That's me, Babs. How are you doing?" Dick asked, glad to be talking to his old friend and former crime-fighting partner.  
  
"Wait a second! Shouldn't you be in a mission with the Titans?"  
  
"Our task there is more than accomplished. We've returned yesterday. Believe me, Zirion isn't the best place for someone to stay for sixteen months. I'm having some serious problem with jet lag. Or should I say "rocket lag"? I haven't had much time to sleep since my arrival. There are some criminals at stake, so Nightwing couldn't have much time for a break. You haven't answered my question, though. How are you doing?"  
  
"I'm. fine, I guess." She thought for a moment, then changed the subject quickly. "So, Short-pants, why are you calling me? Is there anything I can do for you?" Barbara asked, smiling inwardly. Since her Batgirl days, she would taunt Dick with a vast assortment of nicknames. Short-pants was the one he hated most.  
  
"Aww! Babs! Do you *have* to bring in the short-pants? I'm 25, now, you know. Anyway, yes there are two things I wanna ask you. First, as I've told you before, there are some major criminals spreading mayhem here in New York. I've tracked them down, and found out that they're somehow connected to New Gotham. Seems like they're planning on going there in three days. Could you help me out with them?"  
  
"Sure thing, Former Boy Wonder. So, I presume you'll be coming down to New Gotham, right?"  
  
"You got it. *And*, since I'll be in the neighborhood, why don't we go out so I can get the lowdown on what happened while I was out?" Barbara winced at his invitation. If there was something that she didn't want to do at the moment, it was to bring up the past months.  
  
"I'm. I'm not sure about that." she trailed off.  
  
"Oh? Why not? Are you dating someone?" Dick's voice became perceptibly wistful. Barbara shook her head immediately, but he couldn't see it anyway.  
  
"No! It's not that, it's just." She was about to finish her sentence, when Alfred entered the room.  
  
"Miss Barbara, are you coming? Dinner will not stay warm forever." Just then he realized that she was in the middle of a conversation, and she didn't look at all too pleased. "Is something wrong, Miss Barbara?" Barbara glanced at Alfred and sighed.  
  
"Dick, there's someone whom you'd life to talk to." She tapped a few keys on her console and opened the audio, so both she and Alfred could speak to Dick. "Alfred, say 'hi' to Dick Grayson."  
  
"Babs? You're still there? Who are you talking to?"  
  
"Miss Barbara is talking to me. Good evening, Young Master Dick." Alfred replied affectionately.  
  
"Alfred! Is it you?" Dick couldn't hide his joy upon recognizing the old man's voice.  
  
"Indeed it's me, young man. Been long enough since I last heard of you."  
  
"Yeah, I bet we've got a lot of stories to tell each other."  
  
"I believe so, Sawdust. Why don't you come to the Clock Tower tomorrow for lunch? I'll prepare one of your favorite meals." He turned to Barbara. "Will that be a problem for you, Miss Barbara?"  
  
"No, not at all." Barbara couldn't deny anything to Alfred.  
  
"Great! Tomorrow is Sunday, so I'll be stopping by around eleven. Is that okay for you, Babs?" Barbara sighed again.  
  
"Sure, whatever you say. Bye, Short-pants." Barbara closed the connection and wheeled around to face Alfred.  
  
"Alfred!" she shot him a mock glare.  
  
"Yes, Miss Barbara?" Alfred pretended to ignore the redhead's frustration. He knew Barbara wasn't too pleased with Dick's arrival. She eyed him for a moment, but decided to give it up as a lost cause.  
  
"Never mind. Let's see if there's any dinner left for me." She wheeled away from her console and to the elevator.  
  
***  
  
"So, we're having a guest tomorrow?" Helena asked from across the table.  
  
"Yep." Barbara answered vaguely while they finished dinner.  
  
"Yes, Miss Helena, we do. And shall I say, a very special guest." Alfred interfered in the conversation.  
  
"Umm..." Dinah became interested. "And who *is* this person?"  
  
"This person, Miss Dinah, is an old friend of Barbara's." Alfred couldn't hide his amusement.  
  
"Oh, really?" Helena grinned. "Would it be a male friend?" Barbara remained silent, pretending to be distracted with her food. She couldn't help the furious blush that crept her cheeks. Helena and Dinah glanced at her friend and burst out laughing.  
  
"Why yes, Miss Helena. It is a man that has somehow 'brotherly' ties with you." Alfred chuckled to himself. Barbara shot him a desperate glare.  
  
"Alfred." Barbara could feel that things were getting out of control. Helena jerked her head at Alfred, a serious look on her face.  
  
"What did you say Alfred?" Barbara inhaled deeply. 'That's it.' She thought.  
  
"Helena, Dick Grayson will be visiting us tomorrow." Barbara finished her sentence and closed her eyes, waiting for the burst out. Five silent seconds passed. 'Hey, I don't hear anything breaking. What's going on?' She slowly opened her eyes, and saw that Helena was still seated on her chair, in deep thought. 'Phew' she thought relieved. Every time she brought out the Grayson subject before, she had to cope with a very angry Helena, who claimed that she didn't want to get involved with anything or anyone related to Bruce Wayne. For that matter, Alfred and Barbara were the sole exceptions. "Helena, did you hear what I've just said? Dick Grayson is coming over."  
  
"Yeah, I heard you. I've got a very sharp hearing, remember?" Despite the situation, Helena kept her sense of humor. Barbara raised her arms in exasperation.  
  
"Then why aren't you in full-aggressive mode like you always do whenever I mention him? You can't say I'm wrong, Helena." Helena glanced at Barbara and smiled ruefully. 'Damn right.' She thought.  
  
"Yes, Barbara, I know that. But since the Harley incident, I've been thinking about a lot of things. Perhaps I should stop pretending I'm not the daughter of whom I am. Perhaps I should stop denying my origins. Perhaps. perhaps I should talk to 'big bro'. After all, he *is* part of my family." Barbara stared at Helena for a moment, then smiled widely. She glanced at Alfred and noticed she was quite pleased as well.  
  
"That's very good news, Miss Helena. I was starting to think that we'd have a serious death match tomorrow. I'm very proud of your decision, young lady." Helena smiled at his remark.  
  
"Thanks Alfred." Barbara wheeled over to Helena and hugged her friend reassuringly.  
  
"I'm so glad to hear that, Helena." She said sincerely, then grinned. "So, I won't have any of my furniture wrecked tomorrow. Thank goddess." Both started laughing at Barbara's comment.  
  
"I'm sorry to interrupt the party, but. Who *is* this guy?" Dinah asked.  
  
"Oh, it's a long story, Miss Dinah. A story that I'll let Miss Barbara and Miss Helena tell you. I've got some errands to run for tomorrow. Good night, young ladies." Alfred bowed and walked out.  
  
"Bye Alfred, see you tomorrow." Barbara waved at the faithful butler. Dinah was getting impatient.  
  
"Now, are you two telling me who is this guy or not?" She asked in a rather exasperated tone.  
  
"Okay, calm down." Barbara replied smiling. "Let's go to the living room and I'll tell you everything." When they got settled on the couch, Barbara began her story.  
  
"Richard Grayson is Bruce Wayne's adopted son. He and his parents were acrobats at Haly Circus, but his parents were killed during a sabotaged presentation. He was also the first Robin. But Batman dismissed him when the Joker shot Dick on the shoulder." Barbara paused for a moment, as images of the Joker shooting her flooded her mind.  
  
"You okay, Barbara?" Dinah asked worriedly. Barbara breathed deeply and continued.  
  
"I'm fine, don't worry. By that time, Dick was the leader of a young super- hero squad, the Titans. He and Bruce got into a huge argument, and Dick left the manor and went to New York, where the Titans headquarters is situated, and became Nightwing. We still kept contact through these years, I even provide the Titans with some information occasionally."  
  
"Then why didn't I ever hear about this guy?" Dinah asked.  
  
"You didn't because he was away from the planet in a mission with the Titans, for more than one year. He just contacted me tonight." Barbara explained.  
  
"Oh, right." Dinah thought of it for a minute and smiled slyly. "And how is he like? Is he handsome?" Helena took the cue and started speaking.  
  
"I think he is, Dinah. Did you know that he and Barbara had a 'thing' for each other when she was still Batgirl?" Upon hearing that, Barbara slapped her forehead and shut her eyes. 'Oh no.'  
  
"Helena." She didn't even care about finishing her sentence, because she knew it would be useless. She was doomed.  
  
"Oh, really?" Dinah smiled mischievously. "This is getting interesting! Why did you skip that part, Barbara?"  
  
"Because," Helena pointed out "She didn't know that I was aware of that fact. I got that information from Alfred." She and Dinah started laughing wildly.  
  
"Cut that out, the two of you!" A very flustered Barbara begged. "It's all in the past, okay?"  
  
"Okay, but no one said it can't be in the near future, too!" Dinah spoke into fits of laughter.  
  
"Aw, I can't wait for tomorrow!" Helena had her share of laughter and rose to her feet. "I gotta go now. Oh, can I bring Reese here tomorrow?"  
  
"Whatever." Barbara sighed. "It can't get any worse than this."  
  
"Okay then. Bye girls!" Helena waved goodbye as she walked out the door.  
  
"Sooo." Dinah was about to tease Barbara again. Barbara looked at her friend and gave her a mock glare.  
  
"Just remember, Dinah, that I have a escrima stick right here in my wheelchair." Dinah was about to retort, but decided not to. She still had a whole life ahead of her. No sense risking it like this, even if the reward was seeing the all-knowing Oracle drowning in an ocean of embarrassment.  
  
"If you put it that way. I'm going to bed now. Night Barbara!"  
  
"Good night, Dinah." Barbara wheeled to the kitchen, took a drink of water and headed to her bedroom.  
  
After brushing her teeth and getting changed, Barbara laid down on her bed and tried to sleep, without much success. Images of Dick Grayson and her Batgirl days kept flowing through her mind. Sometimes the images were of Wade, of their time together, of her pain upon knowing that he was dead. Barbara felt a single tear escaping her eyelids. Somehow, she felt guilty for his death. She thought she had gotten over it a while ago, but why did she feel this sorrowful now? Did it have something to do with Dick? She kept thinking for several minutes until her eyelids started to grow heavy and she drifted off to sleep.  
  
****  
  
Reese was doing patrolling on the streets. Things were quiet. He yawned loudly. 'Maybe Helena could show up.' he didn't even get to finish his line of thinking, when a very familiar black cape appeared suddenly in front of him.  
  
"Hey!" she greeted Reese with wide-open arms.  
  
"Hey yourself." Reese caught her in his arms and kissed her passionately. After several minutes, they parted. "I hope you're not here to tell me there's some criminal around, are you?" Helena grinned at his comment.  
  
"No, I haven't seen anything suspicious. I'm here to make an invitation." Reese quirked and eyebrow.  
  
"Invitation? For what?"  
  
"What would you say if I invited you to the Clock Tower for lunch tomorrow? There's someone I'd like you to meet."  
  
"Are you going to introduce me to your parents or something?" Helena smiled mysteriously.  
  
"Or something. So what do you say?"  
  
"I'm on it. Is that all?"  
  
"Well, not really." she pulled him to another breathtaking kiss. "Gotta go now. See you tomorrow!" She kissed him once again and disappeared into the night. 


	4. The Great Day

Disclaimer: For the umpteenth time, I don't own anything! Do you think that if I owned the show it would have been canceled? No way! All characters belong to DC Comics or WB. And once again... BRING BACK THE BIRDS, OR ELSE I'LL HAVE AN ANEURYSM! Well, not really, but anyway...  
  
A/N: You guys must be asking 'Where's the action?'. Well this is at first a romantic fic, so the action will come later. Be patient! And keep on reviewing!  
  
Birds of Prey: Rebirth  
  
By Azure Lightning  
  
Chapter 3: The Great Day  
  
The next day, Alfred appeared early at the Clock Tower. He found Barbara already in Oracle mode, typing away on her keyboard.  
  
"Good morning, Miss Barbara." Barbara glanced over the screen and greeted him, smiling slightly.  
  
"Hey Alfred."  
  
"Is Miss Dinah awake yet?"  
  
"Yeah, I think she's in the training room." She returned her attention to the flat screen in front of her.  
  
"I hope you have not forgotten that we have a visitor today."  
  
"Of course I haven't." She replied without looking away from the screen. Alfred curled his lips half-heartedly.  
  
"You didn't seem at all too pleased when I invited Master Dick yesterday." He hemmed. Barbara rubbed her eyes warily and glanced at him.  
  
"No, it's not that. It's good to see Helena trying to get acquainted with her origins." She replied matter of factly.  
  
"And what about you, Miss Barbara? How do *you* feel about his return?" Barbara eyed him suspiciously.  
  
"Well, seems like he'll be needing my help in order to bring down some criminals here. Hopefully it won't be too complicated to get these guys to jail." Alfred shook his head disapprovingly.  
  
"That's not what I asked you, Miss Barbara, and you know it. However, if you prefer to not talk about it, I'll do as you wish." He said as he walked away. "By the way, will you want breakfast?"  
  
"That would be nice, thank you." Alfred nodded and made his way to the training room. Once arriving there, he found Dinah practicing with her escrima sticks.  
  
"Hi Alfred." She stopped her practicing and turned towards him.  
  
"Good morning Miss Dinah. Would you like to have breakfast?"  
  
"You don't have to ask me twice!" The teenager replied cheerfully. "These morning practices always get me starving."  
  
"All right, then." Alfred turned on his tracks and was about to leave, when Dinah called out to him again.  
  
"Err... Alfred?"  
  
"Yes, Miss Dinah?" The teenager approached him and asked in a much lower tone.  
  
"What is going on between Barbara and this bat-junior guy? I mean, Helena told me yesterday that he and Barbara had a 'thing' for each other, but..." She trailed off. Alfred chuckled to himself. 'I have to stop gossiping around.'  
  
"I'm afraid, young lady, that Miss Barbara will have to tell you that herself, if she feels like doing so." He turned around once again and walked to the elevator.  
  
"But Alfred..." Dinah whined, without obtaining much success.  
  
"No 'buts' Miss Dinah. I'm not telling you anything, so spare your time." He entered the elevator, the door shutting right behind him.  
  
"Argh!" Dinah groaned in frustration. "And if I ask Barbara, she's pretty much going to kill me." With a disgusted pout, she left such thoughts aside and resumed her training.  
  
****  
  
Meanwhile, in New York...  
  
Dick Grayson stirred as the rays of sunlight invaded his room. He slowly opened his eyelids and rubbed the sleep away from them. Usually, he'd just shut the curtains and return to bed. But not today. Today he had something important to do. Go to New Gotham. Visit Alfred. And Babs... He rose to his feet and went to his bathroom. After brushing his teeth, shaving and taking a shower, he moved to the kitchen and fixed himself a bowl of cereal. Taking the bowl to the living room, he parked himself on the sofa and turned on the TV. The morning news reporters didn't catch much of his attention, though. His thoughts kept drifting back to Barbara. There was something different about her. Last night she sounded. hesitant, or cautious. Surely enough, she hadn't shown much affection for him through the last eight years, but her behavior last night seemed especially suspicious. He wondered why.  
  
Back in his Robin days, he was attracted to her and deep inside he knew that she felt something for him as well. Dick glanced over to the wall, to the many portraits scattered around the living room. A particular one never failed to make him smile. It was a photograph of him and Barbara at the beach, when they still fought crime side-by-side.  
  
But then... His face changed into a frown. One day she came over to him and gave him the brush-off, claiming that he was too young to understand such things as love. A few months later, Bruce Wayne, the Batman, his father, dismissed him. In a fit of anger, he cut ties with Bruce and moved to New York. There he made a new life for himself, fought crime with the Titans and even had his share of relationships. Just when he thought things were bad, they got worse.  
  
He'd still talk to Barbara, and he knew she had helped Batman bringing down the Joker. And then it happened. Joker escaped and hired someone to murder Selina Kyle, the Catwoman. But Barbara... Joker had decided to take care of Barbara himself. A single shot put an end to Batgirl's days. As soon as he heard the news, Dick hurried to New Gotham. He met Bruce. They decided to leave their differences aside and do what had to be done. Father and son got together once again and captured the man they hated the most. He wanted so badly to kill the Joker, and he knew that Batman wanted the same. But they didn't. They knew it would bring neither Selina's life nor Barbara's mobility back.  
  
Bruce would never be the same again. Dick re-approached his father, but he was unable to stop what happened next. Bruce disappeared, leaving no traces behind. By the time, Barbara was already out of the hospital. She took young Helena Kyle under her wing and made herself a new identity: Oracle, the all-knowing font of information. Being a super-hero himself, Dick had access to Oracle, but he also kept contact with Barbara. She told him who Helena Kyle *really* was. Dick tried to approach his newfound sister, but Barbara told him he'd better not. Helena was very impulsive and hot- blooded. Also, she had grown to hate Bruce Wayne, blaming him for her mother's death.  
  
Despite being unable to talk to her, Dick watched Helena from a distance. He watched her grow into a determined crime-fighter, spreading fear among the criminals in New Gotham. Oracle also helped him at times, even if it was with the Titans or solo. He'd always appreciate her help, but it wasn't until over one year ago that he noticed how much he missed her.  
  
The Titans' help had been requested in a far away planet, Zirion. Nightwing, Arsenal and Flash decided to aid the defenseless planet. There Dick wouldn't have access to Oracle. And he missed her. Not Oracle, but Barbara. Even if through communicator, she'd always cheer him up amidst the craziness of his vigilante life. She'd be there to scold him or to praise him. But not in Zirion. Not even Oracle could develop a communicator able to trespass the magnetic field of that god-forsaken planet. And he felt alone.  
  
Dick sighed heavily and rose from the sofa. He left the empty bowl on the kitchen sink and walked to his computer. After turning the machine on, he opened a link to the Titans Tower, where Donna Troy, his long-time friend, greeted him.  
  
"Hey Dickie! How's it going?"  
  
"Hi, Donna. I'm still a little tired from the trip." He said as he stifled a yawn.  
  
"Tell me about it. I've been trying to contact Roy and Wally, but there's no response. They must be sound sleep." She grinned.  
  
"Yeah. Hey, Donna, can I ask you a favor?"  
  
"Anything you want!"  
  
"I'm going to New Gotham now and I'll probably stay there for a few days. Could you take care of everything while I'm out?"  
  
"Sure thing, Robbie! Let me guess, you're going after those thugs?" She asked curiously.  
  
"Well, that also." He said as he scratched his head.  
  
"Oh, right! Let me guess again. Barbara?" Donna smiled slyly. Dick widened his eyes.  
  
"How did you know that?" Donna started laughing now.  
  
"Oh, c'mon Dickie, we're your buddies, we know you! Now, get your 'damn fine' in gear and have a good time. I'll take care of things here." She replied with a wink.  
  
"Thanks, Donna. I owe you one."  
  
"Yes, you do. Bye, Dickie!" She closed the connection.  
  
Dick stared at the screen in deep thought. Something had escaped his mind... He recalled the past events and tried to figure out what he was missing. 'Let's see... Lunch, Alfred, Barbara...' And then it hit him. 'Omigosh. Helena!' He slapped his forehead, hard. How could he have forgotten? Helena didn't want him near her, if she saw him, the day could end in disaster! He quickly opened a link to Barbara.  
  
"Babs! Are you there?" Seconds later, he heard Barbara's reply.  
  
"Yes, short-pants, I'm here. What can I do for you?" Dick smiled upon hearing her voice.  
  
"What? No 'hello'?" He grinned.  
  
"Heyhowsitgoingandyourjobgood? Great. Now, what can I do for you?" Dick tried to suppress a laugh, then answered.  
  
"Actually, there are a lot of things you could do for me..."  
  
"Dick!" She scolded him, half serious, half playful.  
  
"Okay, I'll stop. For now. Uh... Babs, does Helena know I'm coming?" Barbara knew the reason of his question, but decided to play along.  
  
"Yes, she is. Why?" Dick gasped at her reply.  
  
"What do you mean by 'why'? She hates me, doesn't she?" Barbara twitched her mouth into a wry grin.  
  
"Oh, I got it! The former boy wonder is scared! Wait until I tell that to the Titans." She started laughing.  
  
"Very funny, Babs." He replied sarcastically, although he enjoyed seeing Barbara acting naturally again.  
  
"Don't worry, short-pants. Helena won't try to beat you. In fact, she and Dinah are even anxious to met you!" She replied cheerfully.  
  
"Who's Dinah?" He asked puzzled.  
  
"Oh, you haven't met her yet, right? She's Black Canary's daughter. She lives here with me." She replied. "And like I said, Helena is willing to meet her 'big brother'."  
  
"She is?" Dick asked, surprised. "Why is that?" Barbara's mood subtly changed. She spoke in a quiet, darker tone.  
  
"That... You'll have to ask her yourself." Dick sensed the change in her voice. He was about to ask what was going on, but decided he'd better do it face-to-face.  
  
"Okay, then. Bye Babs! See you soon!"  
  
"See you, short-pants." She closed the connection.  
  
****  
  
Helena arrived at the Clock Tower and joined Barbara and Dinah for breakfast. They chatted, laughed and fooled around each other, just having a good time. Alfred looked at the three with amusement in his eyes.  
  
"So, Helena, did you meet Reese yesterday?" Dinah asked with a smirk.  
  
"Yes, I did. Oh, that reminds me, Alfred. Do you mind if I bring Reese here for lunch?" Helena asked him.  
  
"Not at all, Miss Helena. Actually I thought you would bring him here."  
  
"Thanks, Alfred." She replied with a smile. "Hey, Dinah, could you pass me the butter?"  
  
"Sure!" Dinah used her telekinesis and moved the butter towards Helena.  
  
"Dinah, what did I say about powers at home?" Barbara scolded the blonde.  
  
"Ooops! Sorry!" Dinah and Helena started laughing. Barbara tried to stay serious, but couldn't hold it for too long.  
  
****  
  
At 10:50, the doorbell of Barbara's apartment rang. She checked the monitors and saw Reese standing by the door.  
  
"Helena! Reese is here!" She called out. Helena ran to the door and opened it.  
  
"Hey!" Reese greeted his girl as he entered the apartment.  
  
"Missed me?" She asked with a smile.  
  
"You have no idea." He caught her in his arms and drew her in for a kiss. Dinah entered the room and rolled her eyes.  
  
"Oh, please! Get a room!" They parted and Reese turned to her.  
  
"Hi, Dinah."  
  
"Hiya, Detective!" She looked at Helena and grinned. "Do you want me to leave?"  
  
"That won't be necessary, Miss Dinah." Alfred interrupted. "Hello, Detective Reese."  
  
"How are you doing Alfred?"  
  
"Very well, indeed, young man. Thank you." The doorbell rang once again. Before Barbara could check, Alfred walked to the door and opened it.  
  
"Alfred! Long time no see!" Dick Grayson stood at the doorway, a mile-wide smile on his face. 


	5. Reunion

Disclaimer: I don't own the Birds, Nightwing or whatsoever. They belong to DC and/or WB. Oh yeah, I almost forgot: B.R.I.N.G B.A.C.K T.H.E. B.I.R.D.S.  
  
Authors Note: Sorry I took so long! In compensation, this chapter is way bigger than the other ones. Read and Review, please!  
  
Birds of Prey: Rebirth  
  
By Azure Lightning  
  
Chapter 4: Reunion  
  
"Master Dick! It's good to see you, young man! Please, come in!" Dick entered the apartment and gave Alfred a brief hug. He took a glance around the room and tried to recognize the faces. A blonde-haired girl, about sixteen years old, was at the far corner. 'That must be Dinah.' He thought. Not very far from him was Helena, and beside her was a black man that he couldn't identify. He scanned the room once more, but Barbara was nowhere to be found.  
  
"Helena." Alfred started. "Let me introduce you Master Richard Grayson, Master Bruce's adopted son and your brother."  
  
"So, aren't you going to greet your sister?" Helena teased with a smile. She walked over to him and embraced him affectionately. "I'm glad I've finally met you, Dick."  
  
"Yeah, same here. I guess we've got a lot of talking to do, don't we?"  
  
"We surely do!" Then she turned to Reese. "Reese, meet Dick Grayson, my brother." Reese walked over to him and shook his hand.  
  
"It's nice to meet you, Grayson. So Helena, is this the surprise you were telling me about?" Helena replied kissing his cheek.  
  
"You got it! Dick, this is Dinah Lance, Black Canary's daughter." Dick smiled and shook Dinah's hand.  
  
"I never knew Black Canary had a daughter. It's nice to meet you Dinah."  
  
"Hey, nice to meet you too!" She smiled back. Dick was about to question Alfred about Barbara when a voice boomed through the hall.  
  
"Alfred! Did you remember to check the security monitors before opening the door?" Barbara asked as she wheeled down the corridor. Dick's face lit up instantly, his smile getting even larger when he saw Barbara entering the room.  
  
"Babs!" he nearly shouted and strode across the room towards her. Dinah and Helena eyed each other, a bewildered look on their faces. 'Babs'? They giggled mirthfully at her mentor's moniker.  
  
"Dick!" Barbara exclaimed in surprise as he embraced her tightly. Sensing her discomfort, he pulled away reluctantly, the blue depths of his eyes never leaving hers.  
  
"It's so good to see you again!" He said sincerely. A genuine smile played on her features, although she was still a wee cautious. Prying her eyes away from his, she managed to regain her cool-attitude and asked.  
  
"So, um, how are you doing, Dick?" Dick chuckled inwardly and replied.  
  
"I'm fine, thanks." He tucked a stray of coopery hair behind her ear and stood up. Helena and Dinah smiled wickedly at the scene. Barbara noticed that, and glared daggers at them.  
  
"Well, now that everyone's here, let's have lunch, shall we?" Everyone made their way to the dining room. Barbara wheeled herself to the table; Dick sat opposite her, Helena at his side, followed by Reese. Alfred served everyone and took his own place at the table, beside Dinah.  
  
"Alfred, you have no idea of how much I miss your food." Alfred sniggered at Dick's remark and replied.  
  
"If your cooking skills haven't gotten any better, young man, I'm sure you do."  
  
"So, Dick." It was Reese's turn to speak. "You're Helena's brother for real?"  
  
"No, actually, I'm her father's adopted son. How about you, Reese? Are you her boyfriend?" Reese and Helena smiled at each other. He wrapped his right arm around her shoulders and answered.  
  
"Yep, I guess I am."  
  
"Right. I don't have to remind you that if you ever hurt her..."  
  
"Cut that out, Grayson!" Helena demanded, punching his arm playfully. Dick feigned being hurt and protested.  
  
"Hey, let me finish this! If you ever hurt her, I'm sure she'll cut you into tiny pieces." He finished his sentence with a laugh. Barbara rolled her eyes at his comment.  
  
"You're impossible, short-pants." She said in amusement. Dinah and Helena looked at each other with widened eyes.  
  
"Short-pants?" they squealed in unison. Barbara noticed the mistake she'd just done and buried her face in her hands. 'Oh, great. That was just brilliant, Gordon. I guess *now* would be an excellent time to dig yourself a hole and bury your head into it.'  
  
"Okay girls, cool it." She nearly begged. Helena managed to speak between peals of laughter.  
  
"Are there any other nicknames, 'Babs'?" They burst out laughing again. Dick looked up at Barbara and noticed that her face was almost the same shade of her hair, and he could tell that she wasn't enjoying the situation all that much. Giving her an apologetic look, he tried to divert the girls' attention.  
  
"So, Dinah, can you use the Canary Cry?" Dinah glanced at him and smiled gleefully.  
  
"Sort of. I haven't total control over it yet, but I'm working on it. I've got other powers though."  
  
"What kind of powers, exactly?"  
  
"Well, I have the power of telekinesis. Also, I can read other people's minds when I touch them." Dick raised an eyebrow and asked suspiciously.  
  
"You didn't read my mind when I shook your hand, did you?" Dinah grinned impishly at his question.  
  
"Don't worry, I didn't." A sly glint crossed her eyes and she snickered aloud. "But now that you mention it, it's not a bad idea..." Helena kicked Dinah from under the table, making her flinch. "Hey! I was just kidding!" Dick smiled inwardly. Seemed like his plan was working.  
  
"Helena, as I acknowledge, you've inherited your mother's powers too, haven't you?"  
  
"Yup. Say, why don't you, Dinah and I go out tonight for some criminal butt kicking? What do you say Barbara?" Barbara smiled; relieved to see that for once the girls had ceased their banter.  
  
"Sure, you guys have lots of fun. I guess you'll want to check the neighborhood before those goons arrive in New Gotham, right Dick?" she asked, making sure not to call him 'short-pants' or 'former boy-wonder' again.  
  
"Damn right. I've got to see what's changed in the city while I was out."  
  
"Now, hold on." Reese was still trying to understand what was going on. "Are you saying that Dick is a meta-human too?"  
  
"No, I'm not. But I'm a super-hero, too, just like them." Dick explained plaintively.  
  
"All right then. Look, I gotta go now, my shift starts in fifteen minutes. Maybe I'll see you guys tonight, okay?" Reese bid his farewell and stood up. Helena walked him to the door. Ten minutes later, she returned to the dinning room, but everyone had disbanded already. It didn't take her too long to realize that Barbara was at her workstation with Dick and Dinah.  
  
"Hey, Dinah, let's do some sparring?" she called out.  
  
"Sure!" Dinah chirped as she walked to the elevator, where Helena awaited. As the door slammed shut, they winked at each other and grinned. "Those two need some time alone, anyway."  
  
****  
  
Barbara typed away at her console, her eyes never leaving the screen. Dick pulled a chair and sat beside her, watching as she skillfully made her way through the deceitful maze of information that was her computer. He couldn't help but stare in amazement at her, at how the screen's dull glow would acquire a vivacious color when it reflected on her emerald green eyes, at how her flame red hair would gracefully sway when she turned her head to look at another screen. Finally, she broke the silence and asked casually.  
  
"So, what are these guys exactly up to here in New Gotham, Dick?" He snapped out of his reverie and replied.  
  
"They're some of the biggest drug dealers around New York, Babs. Seems like there's a huge weaponry shipment arriving in New Gotham, and they wanted to check it personally."  
  
"I see..." she muttered as she continued typing. "Well, according to these records, the only cargo ship arriving this week is the 'Sea Urchin'. Its arrival is due on Tuesday, 10 p.m., at Dock 5. I guess that's the ship you're looking for."  
  
"Yep, I guess it is." Neither Dick nor Barbara spoke a word during the next two minutes. After what seemed like an eternity, Barbara decided to break the silence once again.  
  
"By the way, thanks." She still had her eyes focused on the screen as she spoke.  
  
"For what?" Dick asked, puzzled.  
  
"For rescuing me, while we were having lunch. The girls were embarrassing the hell out of me." Dick chuckled slightly at her remark. He reached out and took her left hand in his, while his other one cupped her cheek, coaxing her to look at him. His eyes searched hers as he spoke, as if trying to seek the very essence of her.  
  
"Anything for you, Babs." Barbara winced at his words. She tore her eyes away from him, looking down at the cold floor.  
  
"Dick..." she trailed off. The tone on her voice was too hesitant, too painful. Dick sighed forlornly.  
  
"Babs, look at me." He softly nudged her chin in order to make her look at him. "Babs, I'm not sure of how to say this, but there's something different about you. I still care about you, and you know it all too well. One year ago, whenever I'd say something like that, you'd just give me the brush off, saying something like 'Cut that out, short-pants!'" his impersonation never failed to make her smile. "But now you seem too cautious, even distant. Did something happen while I was out?" He asked, his voice full of concern. Barbara swallowed hard. Of all questions, this was the one she rather he'd not venture to ask.  
  
"Yes. A lot of things happened." She paused as the painful memories flooded her mind. Closing her eyes, she tried to wash them away, failing miserably, as tears started flowing. She thought she had overcome the pain, the loss and everything else that came with it a while ago. She was wrong. There were still many open wounds that wouldn't heal too easily.  
  
Dick watched Barbara's painful expression, with a suffering one of his own. He mentally slapped himself for being so stupid, wondering why did he have to make that question. Something real bad had happened, he could tell, and for some reason, Barbara didn't have the strength to tell him what it could be. He decided he'd better not ask her what it was about, and did the one thing that his heart was telling him to. Tentatively, he knelt down in front of Barbara and pulled her into a warm embrace.  
  
Barbara snapped her eyes open in surprise as she felt Dick's strong arms wrapped securely around her. Her initial shock was slowly being replaced by a feeling of warmth and safety though, as if Dick were able to shelter her from the storm of tormenting memories and emotions that haunted her so much. She leaned her head on his shoulder and embraced him back, her tense muscles relaxing with the gentleness of his touch.  
  
"Babs, I'm sorry I made you cry." Dick whispered into her ear. "I care so much for you Babs, and seeing you like this is tearing me inside. I wish you'd tell me what's bothering you, but if you prefer to not talk about it, I'll understand." He finished his sentence with a lingering kiss on her forehead. Barbara looked at him and flashed out a mile-wide smile, as she took his hands in hers.  
  
"I know I can count on you, Munchkin, and I'm grateful for that. Thanks." Dick smiled back and brought her hands to his lips, kissing them both.  
  
"You know, I'm still trying to figure out which is worse, Short-pants or Munchkin." He stated playfully as he reached out to wipe the remaining tears away from her eyes. Barbara snickered at his comment and kissed his cheek.  
  
"Well, you'd better get used to them, cause I don't have any intention of giving them away!" The elevator doors slid open and Helena walked out of it, followed by Dinah.  
  
"Hey you two! Having fun?" Helena smugly asked. Barbara pretended to ignore the true meaning behind her words and replied using her trademark no- nonsense attitude.  
  
"Well, I guess we've found out where Dick's 'friends' will strike. Are you girls free on Tuesday night?" They walked to the workstation and joined him and Barbara.  
  
"Sure! Where are we going?" Dinah asked in excitement.  
  
"They'll be at the docks. Seems like there's a huge weapons shipment arriving on next Tuesday."  
  
"All right then." Helena agreed. "Say, Dick, what have you been up to in the last ten years?" She asked as she made her way to the balcony outside the tower. Dick followed her and they stayed there chatting until sunset. Dick told her about his quarrel with Bruce and how they reunited to bring down the Joker; how he and the Titans got together, his life in New York, the mission in Zirion. She told him about her mother, about the pain she felt when she was killed, how Barbara trained and mentored her, the villains she had faced, Reese.  
  
"You two seem pretty close. How long have you been together?" Dick asked her about Reese.  
  
"Officially, about two months. But I've first met him about a year ago and the... issues that we've both been through in the last year helped us getting together."  
  
"Issues?" Dick asked. "What kind of issues?"  
  
"Barbara didn't tell you, did she? Well, seems like she's still suffering for what happened." She replied bitterly.  
  
"Helena, what are you talking about?" Dick asked, a tinge of worry in his voice. Helena inhaled deeply, letting the cold air fill her lungs and exhaled slowly.  
  
"Well, over the last year, some weird things started to happen. I mean, we have been fighting crime together for a long time now, but suddenly it became more and more apparent that there was someone behind them, organizing everything. Turns out it was someone very familiar to Barbara, even to you. Dare to guess who this person is?" Dick thought about it for a minute, but didn't find anyone (at least, anyone free or alive) that fit the description.  
  
"I'll bite."  
  
"Does the name Harley Quinn brings any memories to you?" Helena dejectedly asked. The name instantly struck Dick like a thunderbolt.  
  
"Did you really say Harley Quinn? Joker's partner? That Harley Quinn?" He still couldn't believe what he'd just heard. Helena confirmed with a curt nod. "Aww, man..."  
  
"There's more. She had made herself a new persona, a new career, everything. Turned out..." Helena paused for a moment and tried to control the anger that imbued trough her. "Turned out that she was my psychiatrist." Dick saw the rage in Helena's eyes as she continued telling him her story. She told him everything, except the part concerning Wade, and Barbara's attempt to kill Harley.  
  
"So that's why Barbara is so different now... Or is it?" Helena moved her gaze to the Gotham skyline. Her eyes weren't burning with rage anymore, but she wasn't too joyful either. She looked back at Dick and replied.  
  
"Sort of. Sorry Dick, but I can't tell you anymore. I guess it's up to Barbara to decide whether she wants to tell you about it or not." Dick nodded in understanding.  
  
"Yeah, you're right. I only hope she'd tell me what's going on..." Helena sensed the worry in Dick's voice and smiled slightly.  
  
"You like her a lot, don't you?" She suddenly asked. Dick was caught off- guard by her inquiring. He turned around to face her, but she was already inside. He decided to do the same, since the sun had already set and the breeze was getting chilly.  
  
When Dick got inside, Barbara was still in front of the computer. Helena and Dinah were nowhere to be found. Barbara didn't seem to notice him coming, as she withdrew a little from her console and brought her hands to her shoulders, trying to smooth out the tense muscles. Dick walked silently behind her and placed his own hands on them, massaging her neck and upper back. Barbara tensed and turned her head around quickly, but relaxed upon seeing that Dick was there, smiling at her. She smiled back and returned to her previous position, her eyes shut while Dick resumed his work.  
  
"Don't you ever take a break?" he asked gently.  
  
"I had one about two hours ago." Barbara absently replied. Dick let out a snort of disbelief.  
  
"Two hours! No wonder your muscles are so stiff." As if to prove his point, he pressed down on a specially crunched area, causing her to moan in relief. "Say, why don't you relax a little?" Barbara smiled wryly and replied.  
  
"And let the girls go out without backup? You've got to be kidding me. And I guess you'll be joining them too, right? You'd better get ready, they're leaving in about half an hour."  
  
"All right then. But promise me you'll leave Oracle off-line after we get back." He coaxed, his hands still massaging her shoulders. "You've been sitting in front of this computer for hours now." Barbara pondered his words for a moment and decided to concede to his arguments.  
  
"Deal. But right now, you should get yourself in gear and go with the girls."  
  
"I'll get my stuff in the car. Be right back." He walked away from her and into the elevator.  
  
Barbara stared blankly at the screen in deep thought. Everything she wished not to happen was happening. Dick Grayson was so easily disposing of her defenses, and that terrified her. She knew how he felt about her, he'd left that clear a million times, and she couldn't say it wasn't reciprocal. In the past, she had turned him away, fearing that their age difference would make things difficult for both of them, and at the time, difficulties were one of the least things they needed. But now that their age wasn't a problem anymore, why was she still so adamant about not letting him approach her? Her thoughts were interrupted when Dinah and Helena descended the stairs, ready to go on patrol.  
  
"Barbara, we're going. Where's Dick?"  
  
"I'm right here!" Dick, or rather, Nightwing, called from the room's upper level. He was wearing his black and blue spandex, mask already in place. He approached the edge of the balcony, took impulse and did a quadruple somersault, landing smoothly right in front of the girls. "So, what do you think?"  
  
"Very impressive!" Helena quipped with a grin.  
  
"Cool! You've got a lot of nice stuff here, don't you?" Dinah commented, noticing the gadgets scattered around his costume.  
  
"Yep. I have batarangs, escrima sticks, sleeping gas, first aid kit, taser, jump-lines, you know, all the stuff you need when you don't have super- powers."  
  
"Okay you three." Barbara interrupted them, her eyes focused on the screen. "Delphi has just intercepted a police transmission. Looks like there's a gang fight taking place at Hound Alley, not too far from here. These are the coordinates. Have fun." Helena, Dinah and Dick made their way to the window and on to the crime scene.  
  
They landed on a rooftop and surveyed the area. Right below them, two rival street gangs, the Bulldozers and the Devils, were in a fierce clash, armed with baseball bats and knifes.  
  
"Oracle, they're here." Helena informed through her com-link.  
  
"Okay, the police should be arriving in ten minutes." Was the immediate reply.  
  
"You girls take those six over there and I'll take care of the four other ones. Agree?" Nightwing suggested.  
  
"Okay." Helena agreed as she moved closer to the edge, ready to leap. Nightwing and Dinah fired their jump-lines and dived right after her.  
  
A group formed by three Bulldozers and three Devils were brawling on the far corner. They kicked, punched, grabbed and pushed, forming a confusing mass of destruction. Dinah and Helena suddenly interrupted the fight, by landing right in the middle of the action. Nightwing did the same, taking the other four by surprise. He went straight down to business and started beating them up. The girl's foes were oblivious to the fact that the other cronies were being knocked down by the masked vigilante. The two beauties before them caught their full attention.  
  
"A bunch of grown up guys fighting on the street. Now that's what I call a shame." Helena smirked ironically.  
  
"Haven't you got anything better to do?" Dinah asked in annoyance. The Bulldozers surrounded Dinah, while the Devils did the same with Helena, a dirty grin on their faces.  
  
"Oh, I'm *sure* we can find something else to do, babe." One of the Bulldozers replied smugly while eyeing Dinah from head to toe.  
  
"A *whole* lot of things." The Devils said while getting closer to Helena. She waited until they were at the right distance, and knocked them to the floor with a single sweep. Dinah used her telekinesis and threw her assailants onto the far wall.  
  
Nightwing wasn't having much trouble on taking down his opponents. One of them rushed towards him with a knife, but all he got was a kick straight on his nose. The remaining three decided to attack together. Nightwing dodged them easily and counter attacked, knocking out two with a roundhouse kick and punching the last one on the stomach, making him bent over in pain.  
  
Helena's foes wouldn't give up easily, as they rose to their feet and charged towards her again. The first tried a series of assorted punches and kicks. Helena blocked all of them and grabbed his right arm, twisting it behind his back, holding him securely. The other two tried to attack her from behind, but in the last second she let go of the first guy's arm and somersaulted forward, making them hit their own partner. Helena used the wall that was right in front of her to gain impulse and launched, hitting them in mid-air. She kicked one right on his solar plexus, while the other received a kick square on his chest.  
  
Dinah waited while her "friends" got up and rushed towards her. She took her escrima sticks and whacked her way around them, hitting the first on the ankle, making him kiss the concrete, the second on the ribs and the third on the shoulders. The third one, however, was a bit tougher and offered some resistance. He grabbed both of her arms, holding them tightly. He was physically stronger than Dinah, and trying to let go of his grip would be useless. She used her feet to "climb" him and hit a powerful ascending flip-kick on his chin, making him fall onto his back. She landed flawlessly and walked over to Nightwing and Helena.  
  
"Nice kick!" Helena praised her friend. "I see you've been training a lot." Dinah smiled at her comment.  
  
"Thanks! Just don't ask me what that guy was thinking when he grabbed me." She joked. Helena laughed and replied.  
  
"I'm sure I don't wanna know." Then she contacted Barbara. "Oracle, we're done. Anything else?"  
  
"Delphi doesn't show any emergency. Just patrol for an hour and come back here if you don't find anything."  
  
"Got it. Huntress out." They patrolled around and didn't find much. Helena saw Reese parked on a street and decided to say 'hi'.  
  
"Reese!" The detective looked up from the newspaper and saw Helena, Dinah and another guy wearing a mask. Helena greeted him with a quick peck on the lips. "Remember I told you that Dick was a vigilante as well?"  
  
"Sure!" he glanced at Nightwing and gasped in surprise. "Is it him?" He asked and Helena confirmed. "Your costume is quite different than theirs."  
  
"Why, did you want me to wear high heels?" Nightwing quipped. Reese laughed and replied.  
  
"Never mind. I want to ask you guys something." His tone became more serious. "We've got the information that two big drug dealers are coming down from New York. Do you know anything about it?"  
  
"Yes, we do." Helena replied. "That's why Nightwing is here."  
  
"Nightwing?" He asked puzzled.  
  
"Yeah. You know, him." Dinah said as she pointed out at Dick.  
  
"Oh, I got it. But I thought you were here because of Oracle."  
  
"I heard that!" Barbara groaned from her side of the com link. Helena and Dinah burst out laughing.  
  
"Anyway. I assume you're tracking them down already, right?" Reese asked.  
  
"We are. Gotta go now. Call if you need anything." Helena replied, then in a more sultry tone. "Or even if you don't." She kissed him passionately. Dick and Dinah rolled their eyes. They waved goodbye and returned to the Clock Tower. 


	6. Damaged

Disclaimer: All characters belong to DC Comics and/or WB. The song "Damaged" belongs to TLC and Arista. Shrek belongs to Dreamworks. I'm not making any money out of this. You know the drill. BRING BACK THE BIRDS.  
  
Author's Note: Whew! Took me long enough, but Chapter 5 is finally here. I hope you guys like it. Sorry for the delay, but I've been busy with my school tests. I promise I'll try to bring next chapter soon. And thanks for the reviews. You guys rock. Enjoy!  
  
~~~~  
  
Birds of Prey: Rebirth  
  
By Azure Lightning  
  
****  
  
Chapter 5: Damaged  
  
"My heart's at a low  
  
I'm so much to manage  
  
I think you should know  
  
That I've been damaged  
  
I'm falling in love  
  
There's one disadvantage  
  
I think you should know  
  
That I've been damaged"  
  
TLC, Damaged  
  
Dinah, Helena and Dick arrived at the Clock Tower and found Barbara in front of the computer.  
  
"I see we're not the only ones aware of the drug dealers' presence." Barbara mentioned Reese's revelation.  
  
"No. It means we're having company tomorrow, right?" Helena asked in annoyance. With the police nearby, they'd surely have problems.  
  
"Maybe, maybe not." Barbara replied, a triumphant glint in her eyes. "After I checked the ship's arrival date, I hacked the docks' database and changed it to next Saturday. If the police ever try to look into those files, they won't find any ships arriving tomorrow and will search for the drug dealers somewhere else."  
  
"Cool! So we're free of police hassle tomorrow?" Dinah queried.  
  
"I guess so. At least you'll have plenty of time to work before they arrive." Barbara replied. Alfred entered the room and greeted them.  
  
"Good evening, young ladies, Master Dick. Everything alright?"  
  
"Couldn't be better." Dick retorted, then something else entered his mind. "Alfred, is my room at the manor still available?"  
  
"I'm afraid not, young man. The manor is being rebuilt because of the Harley incident. Some people trashed it during the insanity rampage." Alfred answered matter of factly.  
  
"Okay... But how bad was the destruction?" Dick asked plainly, not showing any signs of surprise.  
  
"Wait a minute!" Barbara gasped. "You know about Harley Quinzel?" She asked, her eyes widening with apprehension. Helena took her cue and replied.  
  
"Yes, he does. I told him." She walked towards Barbara, winked, then whispered. "But I didn't tell him everything." Immediately, she noticed Barbara's nervousness and anxiety fading away. So did Dick.  
  
"Oh well... Can you suggest a hotel where I can stay, then?" He inquired, pretending to ignore Barbara's alarmed expression, at least for now.  
  
"I believe I can suggest better, young man. Why don't you stay here in one of the guest rooms? I'm sure the ladies won't mind. Will that be a problem, Miss Barbara?" Barbara snapped out of her thoughts and promptly shook her head, conceding to Alfred's request.  
  
"No, not at all. You can stay, Dick." She stammered, struggling to regain her composure, or what was left of it, after the unexpected turnout. Now that Dick knew about Harley Quinn's devilish plot and the subsequent events, he had probably figured out that her uneasiness had something to do with it, already. 'So why hasn't he mentioned it yet?' she wondered. Such thoughts were set aside when she noticed Dick coming to her direction. He planted a chaste kiss on her forehead and smiled.  
  
"Thanks, Babs. You're an angel." Barbara couldn't help but smile back. Out of the corner of her eye, she perceived Dinah and Helena's impish grin, to which she returned with a glare. The duo decided they'd better stop, or else the angel would turn into a devil.  
  
"Very well. Now that everything is settled, shall we have dinner?" Alfred announced as he walked away, followed by Dinah and Helena. The girls noticed that Dick hadn't moved from his previous spot beside Barbara, who was still typing on the computer. They were about to make a comment on it, but just shrugged and entered the elevator.  
  
Barbara's fingers dashed off the keyboard, flowing smoothly, not missing a beat. She stopped the rhythmic typing when she felt Dick's soft touch on her forearm. She turned around and was confronted by the gentleness in his clear blue gaze.  
  
"I thought you promised you'd leave Oracle off-line after we got back."  
  
"Yes, I did." She simply replied, eyes focused on the screen, fingers hovering over the keyboard. She glanced back, expecting him to retort, and saw the bewilderment on his face. Chuckling at his dumbfounded expression, she replied. "I'm closing the communication channels and logging out of Delphi. It should take a couple minutes."  
  
"Oh..." was all Dick managed to say. Barbara typed one final command and rolled away from the console, then swiveled her chair around.  
  
"There. Are you happy now?" She asked, craning her neck to face him.  
  
"You have no idea." Dick grinned, then extended his right arm towards her. "Shall we, my lady?" Barbara laughed good-naturedly at his lighthearted invitation and placed her hand over his.  
  
"Yes, we shall, my knight in shinning armor." She replied playfully as they made their way to the elevator, hand-in-hand.  
  
****  
  
Meanwhile, Alfred, Helena and Dinah were assembled at the dining table, munching on the spaghetti and Caesar salad Alfred had prepared. Dinah decided to break the silence and popped out the question.  
  
"Alfred, tell me the truth. Is the manor *really* trashed?" Alfred smiled inwardly at the teenager's questioning, then replied with humble amusement.  
  
"Yes, young lady, it is. However, let's just say that I've slightly embroidered the manor's devastation status."  
  
"Are you saying that you've lied about Dick's room and the manor being rebuilt?" Helena raised an inquiring eyebrow.  
  
"By all means, Miss Helena. Master Dick's room is in a deplorable condition, indeed. But no one has ever claimed that he couldn't use one of the many guest rooms available at the manor. And the west wing *is* going through a remodeling, so I wasn't lying at all. And besides," his voice got a more serious tone, but still with a tinge of humor in it. "I earnestly believe that those two need some time to discuss some issues, whether they're recent or long-standing."  
  
"Alfred..." Helena mock scolded him.  
  
"Yes, Miss Helena?" He replied innocently. Helena cracked out an amused smile and finished her sentence.  
  
"...You're a genius." The elevator doors slid open and within seconds Barbara and Dick were in the dining room, unaware of Alfred's scheme.  
  
"Alfred, this smells great!" Dick complimented while filling his plate.  
  
"Why, thank you, young man. I was starting to think that you and miss Barbara weren't hungry at all, since you took so long to come up here."  
  
"Well, I was busy, convincing the almighty Oracle to call it a night and turn off her computer." He replied between generous amounts of spaghetti, which he chewed with contented pleasure.  
  
"Oh, really? And how did you convince her, exactly?" Helena asked, smiling teasingly, while Barbara rolled her eyes.  
  
"I whined and wailed until she was fed up and turned down the computer." He replied with a grin. Dinner preceded without any more incidents. After it was over, Dinah went to finish her homework, eventually interrupting it to chat with Helena and Dick. Helena browsed around for more half an hour and decided to go home.  
  
"I'm off, now. See you guys tomorrow." She walked to the elevator, the doors sliding shut right behind her. Dinah stifled a yawn and rose to her feet.  
  
"Guess I'm going to bed. 'Night, Dick." She turned around and strolled down the corridor, encountering Alfred coming the opposite way. "See you tomorrow, Alfred."  
  
"I hope so, Miss Dinah. Sleep well." Alfred said, then kept pacing towards Dick. "Master Dick, your room is ready. Down the corridor, third door to the left."  
  
"Got it. Thanks, Alfred. Have a good night."  
  
"Miss Barbara, are you going to need anything else?" Alfred inquired Barbara, who was ensconced on the sofa in the living room, fumbling with the TV's remote control.  
  
"No, Alfred. Thanks anyway."  
  
"Very well. I'm going, then. Good night, Miss Barbara." He bowed and then left.  
  
"Good night, Alfred." Returning her attention to the TV, she rotated the channels distractedly, oblivious to the pair of clear blue eyes that intently observed her.  
  
"Hey." Came a voice from behind her. She twisted her neck around only to find herself struck by Dick's dazzling smile. It seemed to cast a spell on her, never failing to make her smile back. "Can't sleep?"  
  
"I never sleep this early. Usually I stay working on the computer 'till late hours. How about you?" Dick just shrugged and replied smugly.  
  
"Why sleep if I can have your company here?" Walking over to her, Dick plopped down on the sofa, making himself comfortable. "Five minutes with you are better than an eight-hour shut-eye." He confessed good- naturedly, tangling both hands in the back of his head.  
  
"Flattering." She meekly smiled, resuming her previous task of switching the channels, eventually stopping at a news program, not paying much attention to it, though. That is, until a very annoying report caught her attention.  
  
"Two months ago, a mysterious insanity outbreak took over the city, causing all New Gotham citizens to temporally lose their minds. While scientists and authorities are still trying to explain the causes of such uncanny incident, John Skylight, the famous astrologist, claims that the outbreak was nothing but an effect of the alignment of Mars and Jupiter, resulting in a powerful magnetic beam that controlled our brains for a few hours. He also..."  
  
Barbara sighed heavily and turned off the TV in disgust. Transferring herself smoothly to her chair, she wheeled away from the living room and on to the balcony. Dick was stunned by her actions. 'Why has her mood changed so subtly?' he wondered. It was then that he remembered what Helena had told him about Harley Quinn and how she made the city go mad.  
  
"Oh my, Babs!" He ran to the balcony and found Barbara looking over the horizon, a deadpan expression on her face. Kneeling down in front of her, he asked. "Babs, what's wrong? Is it about that report on the TV? What happened?" Barbara saw the pleading in his eyes, begging her to trust him with whatever had happened to her. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled, letting her uncertainty flow away with the night's crispy air.  
  
"Wade happened." She replied tersely. Dick blinked once, then twice, trying to figure out what exactly she was trying to say.  
  
"Wade?" Barbara nodded quickly and told him about Wade Brixton and the subsequent events concerning Alfred, Helena, Dinah and Harley. Dick nodded in understanding. "So that's the part Helena was so adamant about not telling me. Babs, I'm sorry." He reached out and whipped the lone tear that slid down her cheek. "You must be missing him a lot..." Barbara shook her head frantically.  
  
"No! It's not that. I've surpassed this already, Dick. What I can't bear is the fact that I'm responsible for his death!" She blurted out painfully.  
  
"You? What are you talking about?"  
  
"If I hadn't let him in, if I had just told him I wasn't interested..." She paused, fighting back tears that streamed down her eyelids. "...Then nothing of this would have happened." Dick could distinguish the regretful tone on her voice.  
  
"C'mon Babs, you can't be serious about this. If someone's to blame for his death, this someone is Harley Quinn."  
  
"You don't understand, Dick. Wade got killed because he was here, because he'd gotten too close, because I opened myself to him. By doing so, he became a potential target for anyone interested on hurting me. And that's what happened. My selfishness led him to his own demise!"  
  
Dick stared back in confusion at her words. Clenching his fists tightly, he silently cursed Harley Quinn for hurting Barbara like that. It wasn't Wade's loss that made her feel that way, he could tell. It was the helplessness sensation that frightened her so much. The evil doctor hadn't only taken one of Barbara's most beloved people; she'd also struck on her weakest point.  
  
"Babs, do you regret the time you had spent with him?" He asked her. Barbara pondered his words for several seconds, then shook her head slowly. "If my parents knew that the trapeze would kill them someday, they'd accept the risk and keep on doing what they loved. Wade knew that you're a super- hero, and I'm sure that he was fully aware of how dangerous it could be. Nonetheless, he decided to stay by your side, because he loved you. Don't let regret take its toll on you. There's nothing selfish about loving someone." He appeased, his voice soft and encouraging. Upon hearing his words, Barbara felt the hurt feelings vanishing as quickly as they came. Flashing out a smile of relief, she asked him, half playfully, half sincerely.  
  
"Why do I get this feeling that every time we talk you seem to take a huge weight out of my shoulders?" Dick grinned widely, seeing that his Babs was back.  
  
"I don't know, but I can tell it's reciprocal." He replied sheepishly. Barbara's smile got wider as she brought him into a soothing embrace. For several minutes, they just stayed there holding each other, reassuring one another with unspoken words, as the world passed by below them on the busy streets. The comfortable silence imbued through their bodies, the soft wind causing the slightest chill, only to be promptly replaced by each other's warmth. Still cradled in the shelter of his arms, Barbara took a deep breath, letting the night's chilly air fill her nostrils, mixed with Dick's sweet fragrance. She wondered how could she deserve such a devoted friend, who was always there by her side, no matter what. 'Friend...' the thought pried her mind, beckoning her rational side to come into light. She acknowledged, more than anyone else, the fact that Dick wanted to be more than 'just friends', and deep inside she wanted it as well. But she kept pushing him away, for reasons that only she knew. Nevertheless, the legitimacy of her motives seemed to be slowly melting away, as each gesture of affection showed how much he cared for her. More than once, Dick had saved Barbara from herself that day. He wasn't there with her to take advantage of a moment of weakness, though. He was there because he truly loved her, and wanted her to be happy. Now she understood.  
  
After what seemed like a brief eternity, Barbara slowly pulled away from Dick and placed her right hand on his cheek, a never-fading smile on her lips.  
  
"Say, how about we watch a movie?" She asked while maneuvering towards the entryway. Rising to his feet, Dick was only happy to comply as he followed her down the hallway. When he reached the living room, Barbara was already loading a DVD in the player. "Hey, Boy Wonder, could you go to the kitchen and get some popcorn?"  
  
"Sure thing, Babs." He agreed as he made his way to the kitchen, returning minutes later with a big bowl filled with the midnight-snack. Dick placed the bowl on the coffee table and gently transferred Barbara to the couch, setting her beside him, his left arm wrapped around her torso. Barbara gave him a mock warning glare, for which he returned with an innocent grin. Rolling her eyes in defeat, she leaned back on his muscular chest, then grabbed the remote control and activated the DVD player. The first scenes of Shrek appeared on the screen, and within minutes, both were laughing their head off. Dinah was lucky that the rooms were acoustically isolated.  
  
Dick managed to suppress his laughter as he tried to catch his breath. He let his eyes drift down to the gorgeous woman in his arms, just admiring the very sight of her. No doubt that Barbara was extremely beautiful, but for Dick there was much more than that. Whenever he looked at her, he saw a smart, pretty, spirited, vivacious woman. A woman that he loved unconditionally. True, he had always cared for her, but the distance made him realize that his feelings ran way deeper than he'd ever imagined before. Her strength always seemed to permeate through him, inspiring him to do his best. She would always cheer him up in the darkest of the days. While Dick was Barbara's knight in shinning armor, Barbara was Dick's guardian angel.  
  
Barbara stifled a yawn as she felt her eyelids getting heavy. She knew that she should go to bed, but didn't want to move at all. There was something about Dick's embrace, she couldn't quite describe; all she could tell was that she liked the sensation it brought to her. His grip on her body was light, even gentle, yet with a firm steadiness. She felt like he was holding her as if he were holding his own life, like he needed her there in order to stay alive. That, and the warmth he provided her, was so good, and made her feel so at ease, that she found it impossible to get away from him. Closing her eyes, she let her thoughts drift away to the reign of dreams, lulled by his strong heartbeat.  
  
Dick watched as Barbara's consciousness slowly dissolved in the comfort of his arms. Carefully, not to wake his angel, he grabbed the remote control and powered the TV off, then shut his own eyelids, diving into the ocean of dullness.  
  
****  
  
Barbara stirred as the hot sunlight caressed her eyelids. 'Damn, I should've closed the curtains' she deemed obliviously. Rolling over in order to avoid the bright beams, she noticed that this wasn't her bed. She slowly opened her eyes and realized that she had fallen asleep on the sofa in the living room, and Dick was beside her in a peaceful slumber, his arm still securely draped around her shoulders. Barbara sat up, yawned and transferred to her wheelchair. She wheeled over to Dick and decided to shake him awake, but never got around to it, as she found herself staring intently at him. The way his steady breath caused his chest to slowly rise and fall, the peaceful look on his handsome face, the stubborn stray of jet- black hair that insisted on dropping in front of his eyes. She reached to brush it away from his forehead, bringing out a huge grin from a not-so- asleep Dick Grayson, which was followed by a pair of alluring blue eyes.  
  
Dick's smile got wider as he saw Barbara smiling back at him. The sunlight invaded the room, casting a bright aura on her features. She was a vision of beauty to him. Her emerald green eyes held a distinctly stunning glow, her flame red hair even fierier when reflecting the bright rays of sun. 'That's what I call waking up in heaven' he thought.  
  
"Good morning, Babs."  
  
"Morning, Short Pants. Sleep well?"  
  
"I surely did!" He replied while stretching gracefully, like a wild cat.  
  
"Alfred will be arriving soon. There's a bathroom down the corridor, if you wish to take a shower." She said as she wheeled towards her room.  
  
"Good idea." Dick rose from the sofa and went on to his day activities.  
  
  
  
****  
  
Author's Note (Part Two): So, did you like it? If you did, please let me know! Review! And if you don't, let me know, too! 


	7. Freak

DISCLAIMER: Birds of Prey belong to DC Comics. The TV show belongs to damned WB. I'm a lazy bum who doesn't use the time I've got in my hands properly. But I guess you've all figured that already. ;)  
  
Author's note: Hey... Please don't kill me. I've promised to post another chapter soon, but I'm just plain lazy. I hope you people forgive me. Pretty please? And thanks for everyone for the wonderful reviews and e-mails asking for more of my fic (that's you, Hopefl0326!).  
  
Birds of Prey: Rebirth  
  
By Azure Lightning  
  
Chapter7:  
  
"Oracle, are you there?" Huntress called through her com-link. She, Dinah and Nightwing were perched on the roof of a warehouse by the docks. The full moon bathed the surroundings, casting dark shadows on the corners. The chilling wind blew softly, coming from the ocean, as if announcing the arrival of the heroes' target.  
  
"Yes Huntress, I'm here. What's up?" Barbara replied from the Clocktower.  
  
"We've found them. There's a bunch of crooks right below us waiting for a cargo ship headed towards here. And they don't seem to be willing to go on a cruise."  
  
"Copy that. I've already made an anonymous call to the authorities. They'll intercept the ship before it's arrival. You just have to take care of the people in land."  
  
"Got it. Huntress out." They kept watching silently while the detractors talked.  
  
"I don't see any ship arriving." One of them commented. "Are you sure they're coming, boss?"  
  
"Don't you worry, my boy, I wouldn't have come all the way down here if I didn't trust my suppliers. I'd have them killed first." A tall, skinny man, dressed in a white suit replied with a laugh.  
  
"That guy enerves me." Dinah grumbled.  
  
"That's one of his specialties." Nightwing retorted. "His name is Albert Hickman, one of New York's finest drug-lords. Known and feared for his brutal actions and psychotic mind, well-hidden beneath a cool and collected facade." He explained with a pout of disgust.  
  
"I still don't get it, boss. Why come to New Gotham? Couldn't this shipment be delivered in New York? Aren't we risking ourselves coming down here?" Another of his croons asked.  
  
"Don't be stupid, Smith. We're safer here than back in New York with those damn Titans. They won't bother us here." Hickman replied, sounding pleased with himself.  
  
"Oh, really? I thought you were smarter than that." Boomed a voice behind them. All five men turned their heads towards the owner of the voice.  
  
"Nightwing!" Hickman exclaimed in surprise. The four of his croons reached for their guns, but to no avail, as three batarangs swished the air and smacked the weapons out of their reach. The new arrivals leapt from the warehouse's roof, landing right in front of their assailants.  
  
"Did you really think I'd let you get away with this just because you've come to another city? You're sadly mistaken, Hickman."  
  
"And I'll let you know that you're in far more danger here than in New York." Huntress stated menacingly.  
  
"Ooooh, I'm shaking! Why should we fear two flimsy and frail girls?" Smith asked in sarcasm. Huntress curled her lips slightly, her eyes changing into a distinctive wild glare.  
  
"You'd be surprised." She replied with a smirk. That, and the threatening look on her eyes, caused Smith to lose some of his before boastful courage and involuntarily step back. The tension between both was briefly appeased when everyone's attention got drawn to Hickman's atrocious laugh.  
  
"So, you've come after me! And brought some new meta-friends!" He addressed Nightwing with a smirk. "Well, I have to say I'm surprised, but that doesn't mean I've rolled in unprepared. You didn't think I'd be stupid enough to not bring some backup, now did you?" He laughed once more, then turned towards a darkened gap between two warehouses and motioned to the shadows. "Jason! Come over here!"  
  
Loud, ferocious shrieks echoed through the aphotic alley. Within seconds, a grim, creepy man surfaced from the shadows. Long, razor-like claws extended from his nails. His ghastly pale skin was covered with scars of all sizes. Tufts of light brown hair were irregularly scattered across his head. His round, large eyes exuded pure rage that got even more visible when he spotted the trio.  
  
"I want you to meet Jason. He's my personal meta-assassin. Why don't you show them your abilities, Jason?" Hickman taunted. The ominous meta- human let out another gruesome shriek and charged at Nightwing with super- human speed. Nightwing quickly dodged and released a kick right on the stomach, sending Jason onto the far wall.  
  
"Wow, he barely missed me!" He commented in astonishment, checking his neck to make sure Jason had actually missed. Just then, Hickman's boys launched forward.  
  
"You take care of him! We'll handle these guys!" Helena addressed Nightwing as she punched Smith's face. Dinah took her cue and tackled one of them to the floor. Smith and his companion surrounded Helena and attacked together. She suddenly dodged by flipping backwards, making both of them hit each other.  
  
Nightwing raced to the darkened corners, where Jason awaited. Taking a closer look, Nightwing studied the rotten physiognomy present on his enemy's features. 'I shudder to think of what happened to him.' He cringed. Jason could be described as a human, or meta-human for that case, only in the very strict sense of the word. Everything about him resembled more of a wild beast. Suddenly, Jason launched backwards, quickly crawling up the warehouse's roof.  
  
"Oracle, I need some information on a certain meta-human." Nightwing called through his com-link.  
  
"Copy that." Oracle replied while uploading her meta-human database. "What special powers does he or she have?"  
  
"As far as I've seen, he can crawl onto walls and has got sharp claws instead of nails." Nightwing replied while climbing the warehouse with his grappling hooks. "And he's got a very disturbing appearance."  
  
"Oh? Is the former boy-wonder scared of a mean looking meta-human?" Barbara teased.  
  
"I just don't want those claws near my face again." He replied in exasperation.  
  
"Oh, stop whimpering, you big baby." She grinned. "I'm searching the database." She typed a string of commands and a window instantly popped-up displaying the required information. Barbara scanned the screen quickly and informed her operative. "According to the database, there's one individual matching your description. Jason Garber, born in 1980. Hmmm. it says here that he disappeared after a plane crash five years ago. I wonder how he and Hickman became allies." Barbara frowned upon reading more of his profile and studying his photograph. "He doesn't look that bad to me. And there are no signs of mental disturb either. Actually, according to his file, he was one of the most brilliant students in High School."  
  
"Oh yeah? Why don't you take a look at him?" Activating the tiny camera located on his gauntlet, Nightwing sent Jason's picture to Barbara and dodged his attack.  
  
"Wow... He surely looks awful. And I don't think the plane crash had much to do with it." Barbara commented in deep thought.  
  
"Are you saying that Hickman did this to him?" Nightwing inquired, his right foot connecting squarely to Jason's chest.  
  
"I don't know. But there are scattered evidences that Hickman has been developing a new kind of drug. Much is said about it, but the police couldn't get any conclusive evidence about it. Reportedly, it can seriously damage a person's brain, turning them into mindless, vicious killers. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but this Jason guy seems to be the live proof of its existence."  
  
"Every time I meet Hickman, I have more and more reasons to be sick of him." He said, his face twitching with disgust. "In the meantime, does your database shows any weak points on Jason? He doesn't look like he's willing to give up." Jason lurched forward for another attack. Nightwing pulled out his escrima sticks and averted his blows.  
  
"Hmm... As far as I know, Hickman's alleged drug has a collateral effect. It optimizes the user's senses and stamina, but for a short period of time. After that, the person becomes completely vulnerable for about ten minutes. That's your best shot."  
  
"I only hope there's not much time left!" Nightwing replied while making an urgent effort to repel Jason's ever increasingly fast swipes. Suddenly, Jason disappeared into the darkness. Nightwing looked around but found no one. "Weird... He's gone..." Just as he finished saying, a familiar shriek reverberated behind him. Jason came out of the shadows and charged towards Nightwing with full force. Nightwing managed a narrow escape, but not without a heavy slash on his back. "AARRGGHH!"  
  
"NIGHTWING!" Oracle cried through the com link. "Nightwing, are you okay? Nightwing!" As she got no response, Barbara started growing more and more desperate. "Oh my God, Nightwing, answer me please!" She begged, in the verge of tears. A faint moan could be heard from the receiving end.  
  
"Uh... I'm glad you worry, Babs." Nightwing replied, in an attempt to make her laugh. Barbara sighed in relief, but couldn't help feeling somewhat angry with him.  
  
"You big dope! You almost scared me to death!" Her tone got lighter and she asked full of concern. "Are you okay? What happened?"  
  
"He hurt my back. Thankfully, the Kevlar protected me well, but I'm bleeding." He replied, checking his wound. "Not sure if I can hold on for too long, if he keeps this pace." Nightwing took a glance at Jason, and noticed that he was frozen in place. "Seems he stopped. Thank goodness."  
  
"Right. What are you gonna do now?" Barbara questioned.  
  
"You know, I've noticed that Hickman keeps him at a safe range. I wonder if Jason will recognize him when he comes back from this trance state. My guess is that he'll be to blinded with fury to figure out who's friend or enemy."  
  
"Well, you have a point. I'll let Dinah and Helena aware of your plan." Activating her connection to the girls, Oracle informed them the plan. "Canary! Huntress! Nightwing has a plan. Do you girls think you can keep them distracted for awhile?"  
  
"Sure thing, Oracle!" Dinah replied. "Let us know when Nightwing is ready and I'll set them a surprise!" Dinah and Helena were almost done with Hickman's thugs. Four of them, including Hickman, were out of action on the floor.  
  
"Alright, let's stop playing." Helena smirked as she released a powerful flying kick on Smith's face, who curled up in pain. "Oracle, is Nightwing ready?"  
  
"Affirmative. Whenever you want, Dinah." Dinah nodded and stepped back.  
  
"Brace yourself, Huntress!" Canary concentrated her powers, making the whole place shake. Every single object around started flying towards the bad guys, creating a makeshift prison, keeping them in place. "Nightwing! It's your turn!" Nightwing hurdled from the rooftop, carrying the still motionless Jason into the cage that held Hickman.  
  
"Okay, Dinah, that's enough. Stay alert though, things may get ugly in here." Nightwing said. Hickman slowly awakened from his unconscious state, his head aching. Upon realizing that Jason was standing right in front of him, he gasped in fear.  
  
"What's is this creature doing here?" He squawked. "Get him away from here! Before it's too late!"  
  
"I don't think so, Hickman. You see, I'm really curious to find out if your friend will recognize you from such a close distance."  
  
"You don't understand! He's gonna kill us all! Including you, you idiot!" Hickman was in cold sweat now, desperately trying to get away. "What the hell is this? Looks like I'm in a cage!"  
  
"Exactly. Thanks to my meta-friend over there. But contrary to you, I have no problems in getting out of here." Nightwing laughed. "But I'll give you another chance, Hickman. If you tell me what you did to Jason and what's the antidote for whatever you did, I'll see what I can do."  
  
"I-I-I don't know! Jason killed the scientist who was developing the drug during the experiments! I only didn't kill him already because it is a very valuable weapon and cost me millions! I can't give you an antidote!" Nightwing stared blankly at Hickman. He really wanted to let Jason rip him to pieces, but wouldn't he be killing a person, even if it were using someone else's hands? He actually couldn't let Jason kill them, and he also didn't want to expose him to the authorities. The world would treat Jason no better than Hickman, not without something to reverse the process.  
  
"Nightwing, I have an idea." Oracle chimed in. "Ask Hickman for a sample of the drug."  
  
"OK, Hickman, let's try something else. Do you have some of the drug with you?" He asked. 'I really don't know what you're up to, Babs, but I hope it works.'  
  
"Well yes, I do. Will you take this freak away from here if I give it to you?" Hickman asked tentatively.  
  
"What's the matter? Big bad Hickman is afraid of one of his puppets?" Nightwing teased. "I thought you were braver than that. Give me the drug and I'll take Jason away from here." Hickman reached hurriedly to his pocket and gave Nightwing a small vial containing a green liquid inside.  
  
"There. Now take him away from here, for Pete's sake!" Nightwing took the vial and caught hold of the still motionless Jason.  
  
"I'm glad to do business with you." He smirked. Using his jump-line, Nightwing left the cage with Jason in tow. "Now Oracle, why do you need the drug?"  
  
"A few months ago, Helena and Dinah got abducted and drugged. The drug affected the amygdala, the part of the brain that controls rage. They we're supposed to become so angry that they'd fight until their deaths. The antidote was another shot of the drug."  
  
"How do we know that this will work?" Nightwing asked. By now he was already near Dinah and Helena.  
  
"We don't. But you don't have enough time to bring Jason here before he wakes up. And even if you could, it would take quite awhile to develop an antidote. It's our only shot."  
  
"Right, I'll give it a try. But if instead he becomes even more enraged and kills me, I swear I'll never talk to you again!" He mused.  
  
"Oh, I think I can live with that. Now hurry." Dinah and Helena held Jason still while Dick filled a syringe with the green liquid and applied it on him.  
  
"Well, I did it. Now wha..." He didn't get to finish, as Jason collapsed unconscious. The three of them knelt down and tried to reanimate him.  
  
"Jason! Jason! Come on, wake up!" Dinah called.  
  
"You know, I'm not sure whether I want him to wake up or not." Nightwing grinned.  
  
"It's a risk we must take." Oracle replied. Slowly, Jason opened his eyes, staring in confusion at the people around him.  
  
"Uh? Where am I?" The three of them sighed in relief. It had worked.  
  
"It seems to have worked, Oracle. Should we take him to the clock tower?" Helena asked.  
  
"Please do, Huntress. I don't think it would be good if we leave him there when the cops come. By the way, they'll be arriving there shortly. Bid your farewell to Hickman and make yourselves scarce."  
  
"Got it."  
  
To be continued...  
  
In the next chapter, more Babs/Dick! 


End file.
